Crab nests on the roots of the mangroves

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2-toed sloth seen on night walk

Grey neck wood rail.. semi aquatic bird

Sided stripe palm pit viper-green snake-very poisonous

Green walking stick

Bark scorpion

Sleeping Tree Keel Toucan up in a Tree …. their beaks are powerful …kill their predators

2 toed Sloth. Dark brown -juvenile… night traveller… white as adult

Stream anhole (lizard)

At dinner, we saw a nine-banded armadillo cross the grass.

Isla Damas is actually Da Mas meaning to “to grow” and not “lady” because the island would grow in size.

Costa Rica and Quepos particularly is a major exporter of bananas

2% of population are indigenous out of a total of 5 million

98% literacy rate

95% renewable electricity, very ecologically minded and the lands are protected.

Mangrove roots are filters of the mud that gets washed in and the makers of land. Crabs clear the silt away from the roots.

Note-we saw animals or birds with asterisks.

*Lesser night hawk…. migrates to and from Canada…. was almost undetectable sitting on a branch.

*Spiny-tail black iguana… “chicken of tree” name in Spanish is “Garrobo”

*Capuchin monkey… most aggressive

*Tiger Heron on branch

*White ibis

*4-eyed possum… omnivore… little, little with fur like a labs ……and teeth!

*Cattle egret

*Jesus Christ iguana… can run on water…actually ski

Mangrove trees are most important oxygen producer in world after plankton …

-Pineapple mangrove.. like fan going into water

-Black mangrove… no obvious roots but little spikes coming up in soil around it .

-White mangrove… looks like termite. The nodules on trunks is how it gets rid of salt… roots come out of 1/4 way up trunk..

-Red Mangrove roots almost don’t look like they have a trunk… lots of roots

Mangroves protect the coastline in case of tsunamis

*Woodpecker

*Green heron

No shrimp farms are allowed anymore because of pollution that they create. Tilapia farms are allowed on land with absolutely no access to the river or ocean. That is what should be done in. Canada!!!

Damas Island was created by a hurricane that split it from part of the coast mangrove area.

*Silky anteater… smallest anteater in world.

Palm oil trees

*Weavers…males make the nest

*Tiger-faced crab

Lunch across beach before Manuel Antonio

Parasailing @ Manuel Antonio

Stay at Villa Romantica… probably a 2 star but quite sweet….. and it had a pool…. yeah!

First go off to Manuel Antonio Park to look for wildlife on our own (US$16) but we’re not very successful. It was so hot(30C) & so very humid we just went to the beach in the park to cool off. Even that wasn’t very successful ….water temperature was apparently 24!!!

I cannot believe the price of food (bbq chicken….$13CAD)& liquor in grocery stores and food and drink in restaurants….. way more expensive than at home in Victoria. We went for dinner later (at El Guarato) that was excellent but required a small loan! All prices include taxes plus 10% tip whether you want it or not. But on the other hand local bus is about .75 CAD and a taxi $6.75.

More pictures to follow. Too hard to download very many!